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Fit Factor: Take a breather
Posted on Mar 28th 2008 6:00AM by Martha EdwardsBy now, we should all be aware of the importance of breathing. After all, it's what keeps us alive, right? So why is it that when we work out our hardest, we sometimes forget to breathe? That's when our bodies need it the most--when we're pushing our limits and challenging ourselves to the max.
So how's your breathing during your workout? For me, it's the weights that make me forget my breath. I take a weight-lifting class a few times a week and funny though it sounds, I usually need to be reminded by the instructor to breathe--otherwise I'll hold my breath until I get a short break. No wonder I get dizzy sometimes!
Practicing proper breathing during exercise is important both for your health and your workout. Why? Your muscles and organs need oxygen, and if you're not breathing, you're not giving them what they need. And without a proper oxygen supply, our muscles get bogged down with lactic acid, and they can't work as well as they normally would. Ever feel a bit nauseous or shaky during a workout? It's because of lactic acid build-up.
So how should we be breathing during exercise? According to BeebleBlog, your breathing pattern should ideally be deep and controlled. Of course, this isn't always possible, particularly during strenuous cardio exercise, but even then, if you're breath is too shallow, it's a sign that you need to slow down.
The Fit List recently explored the ideal breathing patterns for your workout:
Breathing during exercise sounds more complex than it is. The key? Just think about it. Breathing is such an unconscious thing that we take it for granted. Pay attention to your breath and make sure you're giving your body the oxygen it needs.
So how's your breathing during your workout? For me, it's the weights that make me forget my breath. I take a weight-lifting class a few times a week and funny though it sounds, I usually need to be reminded by the instructor to breathe--otherwise I'll hold my breath until I get a short break. No wonder I get dizzy sometimes!
Practicing proper breathing during exercise is important both for your health and your workout. Why? Your muscles and organs need oxygen, and if you're not breathing, you're not giving them what they need. And without a proper oxygen supply, our muscles get bogged down with lactic acid, and they can't work as well as they normally would. Ever feel a bit nauseous or shaky during a workout? It's because of lactic acid build-up.
So how should we be breathing during exercise? According to BeebleBlog, your breathing pattern should ideally be deep and controlled. Of course, this isn't always possible, particularly during strenuous cardio exercise, but even then, if you're breath is too shallow, it's a sign that you need to slow down.
The Fit List recently explored the ideal breathing patterns for your workout:
- Cardio: Avoid breathing that is too shallow, and focus on establish a pattern of deep breaths that you're comfortable with. For example, if you're running, you might inhale every three steps and exhale every two steps. If you're breath is too shallow, it's a sign that you're working too hard.
- Strength Training: Your breathing during strength training should be deep and controlled, and should follow this pattern: Exhale during the hardest part of the exercise, inhale during the easier part. You might also find it beneficial to exhale through your mouth in a quick breath and inhale through your nose slowly.
- Stretching: During relaxation exercises, your breathing should be slow, deep and from your diaphragm. In Ashtanga yoga, ujjayi breath is the breathing technique of choice, and it involved breathing deep and slow from the back of your throat even throughout the most difficult poses. I've been doing it for so long that now engaging in ujjayi breath is a way for me to help myself relax.
Breathing during exercise sounds more complex than it is. The key? Just think about it. Breathing is such an unconscious thing that we take it for granted. Pay attention to your breath and make sure you're giving your body the oxygen it needs.
